Amp Question

JerryD

JerryD

New member
I'm not really happy with the sounds I'm getting from my guitar effects and amp.
The items that I have are a Vox Tonelab multi effect processor and Peavy amp.
Should I throw this all out and start with just a fender amp and stomp boxes?
I'm looking for a bluey type sound. Sorry I'm not providing a lot of details but I'm not sure what I'm even asking.
 
That should work for a cover band, but if you are just playing blues, maybe not. Sure, a simple tube amp and a few stomp boxes might work better for you. I know a pretty famous country player who also does quite a few Nashville sessions, and he swears by his Tonelab. However, me being being a blues player I don't think I'd use it. I know another 'rock' player who uses a Guitar Rig into his laptop, and that goes to the board. He tours nationally with this, and it does sound very good. But again, not for me. So it's up to you. If you aren't happy, you aren't happy. Take your guitar and try a few amps out, and a few pedals. Maybe a compressor and an overdrive? But that's a can of worms right there, so I'm bailing.
 
In my experience peavey guitar amps have an unnatural often fizzy and awkward tone..
JUST MY OPINION

They just don't sound authentic so especially for blues I would consider getting rid of the amp.

But you or others may dissagree
 
First, don't ditch what you have just yet. Wait until you find something that sounds better to you.

A simple amp may be all you need, you might not even need the stomps. Go to Guitarget or such and try this proceedure:

The purest blues tone will come from a lower-power (10 - 15 watt) tube amp with just a on/off switch and a volume knob. Try a couple of those out. Spend some time with them, decide if you like the tone. Go outside, take a break. Go back in and try slightly more complex amps, say, with a tone control, then maybe ones with both gain and volume control. Take breaks outside between each, give your ears a break. When you find an amp that does not seem to be much more "toneful" than the previous one, STOP. Go back to the previous amp, try it again. Take a break. Try it again. Take a break. If the "lesser" amp is doing it for you, and it has the volume you need (you didn't say if you are gigging small clubs, gigging larger venues where the amp is gonna be mic'ed, just recording, or playing small halls) BUY IT. Bring it home, play it for a few days. Be prepared to return it if it does not float your boat at home, too. If it does, THEN consider pedals, but buy them ONE AT A TIME.

JMHO.
 
Go to your local retailer and test drive a Vox VT40 (10 inch speaker) or VT80 (12 inch speaker) just to get a feel for what sounds are available. There seem to be two camps in the hybrid amp mainstream, the Vox AD (older) or VT (newer) line, and the Fender Super Champ XD line. Super Champ does fewer things, but it does them really well, especially if you put a good speaker in. The Vox has great versatility and very nice tone for the money, and if you pamper it it will hold up long enough for you to decide between amp or pod.

If you go the amp+pedals route, save your money up and avoid the cheap bargain basement Guitar Center junk. If you really do stick with blues and the occasional overdrive, then take a look at Frenzel amps and scour ebay for a couple of good modded pedals. You can get great blues sound from a Traynor YCV20WR, or great versatility from the Traynor YCS100 3 channel amp. Mesa Express is an option also, if you have extra $$$$ to burn.

Just remember that the best best way to get great ballsy blues tones is to crank the amp all the way and let the pickups and the speaker do the talking. I've become convinced that pedals - as nice as many of them may be - are for people who cannot turn their amps up all the way.

One other good thing to do is search youtube for clips on how your favorite players get their tones and what their rigs are using. Watch some Andy Timmons clips, or some Joe Bonamassa clips, or some Jack Pearson.
 
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In your post you don't say what kind of peavey amp you have or what kind of guitar you play through it. This would be helpful info for someone trying to offer suggestions on where to go from where you are.

I'll start with this. Guitars and amps are for generating tone and pedals are for tweaking it. For the first part of the journey forget about your effects and concentrate on the guitar and amp only. The amp is at least as important as the guitar in your rig. Usually, it's more important. Your first order of business is to get satisfactory tone with guitar and amp alone. If you like the way your guitar feels, start with the amp. For blues you should probably focus on tube amps, but make sure you test drive some solid state options as well. The amp you select needn't be expensive. Alot of great blues has been played through Fender Champs and little Harmony or Silvertone units. Many folks love the Epiphone Valve Jr. Those amps don't have much in the way of features and they can't compete with a loud drummer but I don't know what your needs are so I'm just making suggestions.

If this is for playing in a band 12 to 30 watts is usually plenty. Tubes sound better when they are driven a bit. If you are after a clean tone use the upper end of that scale. If you prefer some crunch go lower. If you are going solid state go with twice as much wattage or more.

There is no substitute for plugging your guitar into as many amps as you can and letting your own ears be your guide. Forget about brand names and such and just try 'em and listen.

Good luck to you.
 
Yep, forget the effects and just play the guitar and amp. Going for a good blues tone? Get a tube amp and decent guitar. It's better to have a good tube amp and an average guitar. Having a great guitar and an average or just a practice amp still won't get those killer tones you are hearing in your head. Get a good loud, clean tube amp and you'll have those tones available. Shit, a funky old Squier (with new strings) will get you some nice blues tones. This stuff will get you in the ball park, the rest is up to how you manipulate it, with the adjustments of the amp, guitar, and your playing.
 
Wow thanks for all information. I'll read through this tonight. THe Peavey amp is a stereo chorrus 212 with Scorpion...not sure what that means. The tonelab is okay the peavey sucks. I'll read through this info and see what I need. Thanks guys.
 
Oh, well, a Peavey SC 212 is NOT a particularly good blues amp, but it does NOT "suck." You have something like 250 watts (maybe more, I forget- but it's a LOT) of solid state power there, which means you will NEVER get anything like warm, tube overdrive at any volume mere mortals can stand to be near. You are trying to drive 4-penny finish nails with a sledge hammer. "Scorpion" refers to the Peavey speakers in it- they feature field-replaceble voice coils and cones.

That amp is actually very good for clean jazz or pedal steel country guitar. I loaned one to a friend who loves his Roland Jazz Chorus 212 and he actually PREFERRED the Peavey, wanted to buy it from me. If you hate it that much, send it to me- I'll pay up to $75 for shipping, if there is any money left, it's yours. (I am serious about this. PM me.)

A Peavey amp that would be MUCH better for you is a Classic 30.
 
+1 on the Classic 30
This is a great value and a very good amp.

We still don't know what kind of setting the OP is needing the amp for. Unless his application is pretty loud he won't get into the fat of the output tubes on a 30 watt tube amp. (To the OP, 30 watts of tubes is way more power than 80 watts of solid state). We should hold off recommending specific amps until we know more.
 
True, true, Milnoque. Mostly, I was saying the C30 is gonna be a better choice than the SC212 he has, but you are right, it may not be even close to the best power range.

JerryD, you really need to give the whole picture, here. For instance, it was only yesterday we learned you are using a monster SS amp, about 99.9% inappropriate for playing blues. Help us help you, by providing the following minimal info:

Genre of music, as specific as you can.
Size of band. Number of members.
What everybody else is playing.
Got a drummer? Does he only hit hard, or can he do dynamics?
Bassist rig. 600-100 watts, or 100-200?
Where will you be playing? Small clubs where you gotta provide all the equipment, or is there gonna be a house PA? Or something else?

Probably more, but that's all I can think of.
 
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